Sao Paulo at a Glance

Sao Paulo's vast size can be intimidating to visitors, but give this city some time and its culture, food and energy will sweep you off your feet.

Sao Paulo is a cultural melting pot with ex-pats and immigrants influencing and informing local culture. Japanese, Arab, German and Italian populations ( to name a few ), bring their food and their culture to the city.

If you gravitate towards the gourmand, Sao Paulo has enough high quality restaurants to keep you occupied for years. Enjoy sushi on and outdoor patio, dig into a beer and a brat around Oktoberfest, or experience fine-dining Brazilian cuisine with its African, European and Mediterranean influences. Dancers, music lovers, bar hoppers and cinephiles will delight in the sheer number of art house theaters, music venues and dance clubs. Shake your hips to some samba, jump up and down to high energy Brazilian pop, or groove to techno until the wee hours of the morning. Finally, if you have energy left, don't miss the art museums. Brazilian art as well as European and Western collections are well represented here.

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American tourists need to acquire a tourist visa from the Brazilian Consulate before entering the country. A valid passport and additional fees will be required. Upon entrance, tourists must fill out and keep an immigration form. Protect this form as you would your passport because you need it to leave the country as well. Residents of all nationalities can learn more by contacting a Brazilian consular office. American citizens can do additional research on the U.S State Department website.

Need to Know

Severe Weather Brazil lies in the equatorial zone and is warm. Nighttime temperatures will drop precipitously, however, and it is wise to have warm clothes to put on at higher elevations.

Safety Concerns Muggings, purse snatching and robberies occur in Brazil. Only carry what money you need for your trip out each day and keep your wallet completely out of sight. Phones, cameras and I-pods are hot items so consider leaving those at home or keeping them discretely on your person. Leave valuables such as your passport in the hotel safe.

Health Concerns Vaccinations are required to enter Brazil. Check with your doctor as early as you can about vaccination schedules and the international certificate of vaccination that you will need to enter the country. Visitors must purify their water using a purifier or boiling it for 1-3 minute to kill bacteria and parasites.